1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to a method for the formation of images that utilizes optical image memories on which writing and reading of image information is performed by means of light, the image information read out therefrom in the form of light being used for an image forming process.
2. Description of the prior art
An apparatus for the formation of images in which optical image memories (an intermediate storage medium), formed of liquid crystals, PLZT, or the like, is used has been proposed by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 54-140542. In such an apparatus, image information is written into the optical image memories and light is directed thereto to extract the stored image information in the form of reflected or transmitted light (image-information light), the image-information light thus obtained being projected onto a photosensitive means for forming a latent image thereon. The image information written in the optical image memories is retained for a certain duration of time. Therefore, in the case of making multiple copies of a plurality of originals, for example, it is possible to write the information of the original images into a plurality of optical image memories, respectively, and then to read out each image information from the corresponding optical image memory for a plurality of image forming processes.
There have previously been two methods for making multiple copies of a plurality of originals: one method is to first write the information of all the original images to be printed into a plurality of optical image memories, and then read out the stored image information sequentially for forming respective images for the multiple image forming processes; and the other method is to first write the image information of a single original image to be printed, and read out the information for forming an image for the first copy, only the image reading operation being sequentially performed for forming images for the second and subsequent copies, and then to repeat this operation for other original images to be printed. In these methods, however, loss is caused in apparent time since no actual image forming process is performed during the writing of image information.